Berry Good Together

It’s often been said that things come together better in pairs, and we certainly agree!

For today’s entry, we are pairing two of our favorite subjects: fresh fruit and wine. (Come on, who doesn’t love a nice sparkly glass of wine with a little treat on the side?)

Just like fresh fruits, wines have their own aromas, textures and tastes.

We checked in with the experts at Food and Wine and they quite the bevvy of information and some delicious ideas!

Did you know?

“Red Wine and Fruit

Red wines range from light and juicy to dense and earthy, as can the range of fruits that can be paired with them. Among the best fruits to pair with a lighter red are berries and bananas, while darker, heavier reds lend themselves to dried mixed fruits including figs and even mixed raisins. Drier reds go well with sweet fruits for balance, while a sweeter red might handle a richer flavored fruit with less sugar.

White Wine and Fruit

White wines range from very sweet to very dry, so there is almost always a good fruit pairing for any type of white wine. Sparkling whites with light sweetness and sweet wines like Muscat pair well with berries, while fruits like apples and pears go good with whites in the mid-sweetness range such as Pinot Grigio. Very dry wines like Sauvignon Blanc pair well with fruits like bananas as well as with dried fruits.”

So let’s explore a little:

How about setting up a fun and delicious wine tasting with your friends and provide a red and a white to compliment different varieties of fresh (or even dried) fruits?

Remember, for maximum flavor serve the wines from the sweetest to the driest and from the lightest to the heaviest. Save any dessert wines for the finale.

We’ve got some recommendations for you:

A plate of fresh blueberries pairs beautifully with a sparkling champagne, of if you prefer red, we highly recommend a Petite Syrah or a smoky Merlot.

Have some fresh blackberries you’re dying to eat? Try them with a Zinfandel, or if you prefer lighter wine, try them with a Muscat. (The tart of the blackberries is a fabulous combination with the sweet of the Muscat.)

Do you really want to amp it up a bit? Add some cheese or charcuterie to really wow your guests and delight your taste buds even more!

So what do you think? Sounds like a fun and yummy ides?

We’d love to hear about your pairing preferences, please feel free to share them with us.